


Dance

by JoAsakura



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: M/M, Schmoop, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-01
Updated: 2012-06-01
Packaged: 2017-11-06 13:00:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/419193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoAsakura/pseuds/JoAsakura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A wedding. A memory. A song.</p><p>best read with "I'll Follow you" by Shinedown playing in the background. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UroB8YRCdU8</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dance

 

_Outside, it's silent save for the crunch and shush of snow-heavy branches swaying as a family of deer pick their way through the woods. Inside, the superannuated heater creaks and bangs, pushing hot water into the radiators while in one darkened bedroom, a soft chorus of beeps keep time with a fading heart._

_The walls are covered with pictures (friends and family, parents and children, scattered now to every corner of the universe it seems. ), model ships and various bits of space junk and detritus that look like garbage to all but the eyes that see them every day. It's a record of a life well-spent by any measure._

_The radiator groans like a ghost and the man startles, pausing in mid –reach for an old book. It takes a moment for long-ingrained reactions to relax and he shakes his head with a rueful little laugh._

_The book is heavy and worn, pages stuffed and cluttered as the walls, and he takes it out with extreme care, so as to not set the contents scattering all over the floor._

_It smells like the memory of lilacs, and he can't remember how they found lilacs, of all things, that day for their makeshift cathedral of construction tarps and the bombed-out buildings of the Alliance HQ, the sounds of a city rebuilding banging and echoing under the music._

_But it didn't matter. None of it mattered._

_There's small VI unit in the front flap, and he presses the on-switch, sitting in the darkened bedroom. The quiet beeping vanishes under the sound of people laughing, as a song that was old fashioned even before they were born plays over two men dancing with ridiculous smiles on their faces._

_  
_

~~

 

"So, how's my dancing, boss?" Shepard whispered in Kaidan's ear, his partner's faint stubble rasping lightly on his cheek. Despite their best efforts, neither of their attempts at clean-shaven had lasted past noon. 

"Better. Less stompy krogan, more.. mm.. twitchy salarian." Kaidan murmured back, stroking the small of Shepard's back as they swayed to the music. "Have you been dancing behind my back, John Doe Shepard?"

"I have, but purely for science, you know." Shepard grinned, gently butting Kaidan in the head. "Did you know Zaeed was a champion ballroom dancer in his youth before he realised his total lack of interpersonal skills and desire to shoot goddamn bastards in the head made him better suited for other fields?"

"That is a damn dirty lie, Alenko, and don't you believe it." Zaeed clamped them both on the shoulders. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think it's traditional for the father of one of the grooms to have a dance with him."

"Zaeed, that analogy gets really creepy when you remember we've had sex." Shepard pointed out as the old man dragged him off.  "In the cargo hold."

"Whatever. Jessie and I walked you down the aisle, you can goddamn well dance with an old man before he sobers up and realizes what a damn idiot he looks like. And Alenko, go dance with your mother. She's a mess."

 

~~

 

_A portable vid recording, shaky, from an omni-tool. Joker's grinning in a ridiculous tuxedo, hat tugged down low over his eyes._

_  
_

~~

 

 "Ok, this is the Joker News Network and his awesome girl robot sidekick EDI.."

"I am hardly a sidekick, Jeff."

"This is the Joker and EDI News Network.. better? "

"Yes."

"Right. Collecting thoughts, advice and general good wishes for the happy couple who.." he swung the tool over to where Kaidan was in the process of retrieving his newly –minted husband away from Zaeed. "Are being disgustingly adorable.  And we are never going to let them forget that they're grossing everyone out with being cute. STOP IT. You're badasses.  At least go blow something up together, later. "

The vid bounced around the dance floor for a few moments, until Joker focused in on Javik, pronouncing the cake as inedible by prothean standards. Liara shook her head, waving Joker and EDI over as she balanced a tiny blue child in her arms.

"This cake is a lie." Javik said, all four eyes scowling.  "It looks festive, but it tastes like cardboard."

"So, do you have any ancient and cranky wisdom for our happy couple, Prothy?"

"I wish there was an airlock nearby, pilot, that I could send you to your demise.  But yes. Enjoy each other's company, Shepard. And honour each others memories." Javik straightened, face softening. "I am not sad that you woke me, Shepard. You and Liara and Kaidan. Thank you. There may not be a place for the vengeance of the protheans any longer, but perhaps I have found something…" He turned to look at Liara and the child. "new. And special."

"We love you both." Liara added. "Come see us at the Mars station after things calm down. You'll be amazed."

~~

 

"Not that I don't dig me some hot boy scout on boy scout action, Shepard. But  I'm gonna cut in an' dance with your better half." Jack said, leading Kaidan away. She wore something that almost resembled a dress. If you made a dress out of recycled trashbags and duct tape, and there wasn't a soul willing to ask about it. "Go take a look at the presents, wouldja? The brats made you two something. "

Shepard gave her a kiss on the cheek and she shoved him away. "Now listen, Asslenko, since you and the big S are both biotics, I have some AWESOME tips for you two."

 

~~

 

"So Wrex, you have anything to say to Shepard and Kaidan?" Joker's voice carried over the image of a drunken, scarred krogan who laughed like an artillery burst.

"Yeah, I got a second while they defibrillate Massani. Asshole thought he could outdrink me. Anyways, get started on those babies, you two. Humans don't live *that* long, and my little ones need some tougher playmates." Wrex roared with laughter.  "Or wait, is that just an asari thing? Shit, what the hell do I know from human biology?" He laughed again.

 

~~

 

"Is he dead?" Shepard poked James while the others stood a safe distance back.

"You missed the pole dance before, didn't you." Steve said, blithely drawing a mustache on Vega's drooling face. "No, he's not dead, he's just passed out. We're going to start using him as a coatrack soon."

"Just make sure he can get up in the morning, Steve. It's not every day he gets handed the keys to the Alliance's flagship stealth frigate." Shepard poked him again then straightened.

"Don't worry, Shepard." Steve set the marker aside and gave him a hug. "I'll take good care of him."

"Take good care of each other." Shepard whispered back.

 

~~

 

"Come on, Garrus. You MUST have something to say to them." Joker  followed after the turian as quickly as he could through the crowd of people. "PRIIIMAAARCH VAKARIAAAN!"

"Joker, I have said everything to our newlyweds that I was going to. I don't need it recorded on video for posterity." Garrus drawled. "Don't make me shoot you.  Because I will, you know. I don't even care if it starts a diplomatic incident."

"Wait, you brought a gun? To Shepard's *wedding*?"

"You didn't?"

 

~~

_He remembers his face hurt at the end of the day. He'd never smiled so much in his life. Real smiles, not the fake one plastered on for ship christenings and diplomatic meetings, but a smile that came up from the very bottom of his soul . Even at the end of the night, exhausted with their ties and coats long discarded into the pile on top of a snoring James Vega, feet aching and not quite sober, but not quite drunk anymore, he still smiled._

_They sat curled against each other in the warm night, makeshift lanterns casting their yellow light and air smelling like lilacs over the grittier aroma of the city beyond, as the family they made for themselves celebrated._

_He runs his fingers rough with age over the still photos, over notes scrawled on napkins,  as the little vid shuts off, and the music fades._

_He sits in the dim light, quiet beeps slowing with the fading heart, before leaning over to press a kiss on a grey-stubbled cheek._

_"Save me a dance for me at the bar when you get there."  Shepard whispers, feeling the creak and groan of tired flesh and cybernetics as he straightened, radiators groaning like lonely ghosts in the hall. "I love you."_


End file.
